Fracture: After the Fall
by BlueIndolence
Summary: Krystal is fascinated by the history of Valoran and the Legendary heroes of old. She explores the ruins of Piltover during a class field trip to discover their secrets. Unfortunately things turn ugly when she happens upon an ancient trans-humanist war machine. The events that transpire alter not only her physical form, but also shape her (and a certain Vanguards) destiny.
1. Chapter 1

**Valoran is still reeling from the numerous conflicts that erupted shortly after the fall of the League of Legends. The Return of the Watchers, the Void Invasions, the Noxian Civil War, Shuriman Conquests, and most recently the Machine Wars have greatly altered the geological and political landscape of the continent. This tumultuous time period has been dubbed the "Century of Calamity." Now 50 years after the failed trans-humanist revolution led by the Machine Herald a new Valoran has begun to take shape...but is history about to repeat itself?**

 _(Many human champions have long since been deceased due to the timeline. However many non-humans and the descendants of champions certainly exist and may make an appearance.)_

* * *

 _Human…._

 _Ba-Bump._

 _Human. Do you wish to live?_

 _Ba-Bump._

Krystal coughed and spluttered. Fire danced around her and through the flames she could see the decaying form of the trans-humanist war machine. Even in its aged and ruined state the sight of it had still struck her with awe. Its shape resembled that of an enormous scorpion. Serrated chain saw blades made up its claws. The tail had been shorn off; its harpoon like appendage lay in a crumpled mess, abandoned in a pool of rust colored liquid. She imagined the eyes on its mangled face plate would have looked terrifying lit up; a merciless red color, and emotionless for all of the fire that might have blazed within them. Was that where the voice was coming from? No, it was closer. A vibration rumbled between her slender arms.

 _Oh yeah, the gem._ She peeked down at it. It was all she could do to move. The pain…it hurt so much. A violet-sapphire gem the size of her head was tightly clutched in the folds of her slender arms. She vaguely recalled having pulled it from the core of the colossal metal monstrosity. That's right. That's when everything had gone horribly wrong…

 _Ch-Chink!_ She felt a new sensation as cold steel pressed against her left temple. Another machine towered over her, only this one was perfectly functional. A trickle of blood rolled down her cheek, tickling the surface of her skin. She wanted to wipe it away if only to relieve the itch. Krystal didn't understand. Why was there a Battlecast Marauder Class still active? Weren't they all annihilated in the war sixty years ago?

INTERLOPER PACIFIED. REQUESTING TERMINATION OF INTERLOPER. REQUESTING EXTRACTION OF BATTLECAST ARACHIA CORE. AWAITING ORDER CONFIRMATION. REQUEST 1….PENDING. REQUEST 2…CONFIRMED.

REQUEST 1…

 _T-termination?_ Krystal shuddered. The magnitude of what was happening to her seemed too nightmarish to be real.

 _"_ PENDING."

 _Am I going to die?_

 _"_ PENDING."

The voice? What had it asked her?

"PENDING."

 _Do I want t-to live?_ She knew the answer.

 _"_ PENDING."

 _Yes. Please…_

 _"_ CONFIRMED!"

"Please!" She wanted it to be a scream, but it only came out as a whimper.

 _As you wish._ The _Arachia_ in her possession hummed soothingly against her body.

Despite everything, Krystal managed to smile. "Thank you." Krystal squeezed the gem tighter as if to communicate her gratitude through body language. She hadn't expected it to reply, and she didn't know what it could do to save her. Even if it didn't she felt a strange sort of peace wash over her. At least she wouldn't die alone. "Thank you". Krystal whispered to the gem once more. "Whoever you are."

 _Are you ready?_

"Mm-hmm." She nodded lightly and closed her eyes, embracing whatever would happen next. The heat from the muzzle pressed against her head was starting to burn. The Machine was recharging its augmented canon. Her death would come swiftly.


	2. Chapter 2

**ONE WEEK EARLIER**

* * *

Her bus would come swiftly. Or so Krystal hoped. Union City traffic was a fickle and nightmarish beast at best. At worst it was a leviathan that trapped any careless commuters and unfortunate first-day transfer students into being tardy for their social obligations. She stood underneath a bus stop next to a congested intersection packed with a muddled mass of transportation. Her hope waned with every passing moment. " _So much for making a good first impression."_ Krystal thought to herself, crestfallen beyond all measure.

Krystals depression was at odds with the rest of the cities energy however. Road rage was all the rage this morning. Drivers honked physically and verbally. The cities inventions were not to be outdone by their owners either. A few of the "vehicles" even joined in with some choice expletives of their own.

"KEEP-MOVING-JERK-OFF."

"Hey! Tell your dumbass convertible golem to shut up would ya, before I stuff a potato in its mufflers!"

The convertible auto golem in question was half-car and half steam-golem. It was a curious invention, designed to replace the role of driving so passengers could focus on other things. Supposedly they were safer, and highly customizable. This one was obviously customized to reply to road rage with very frank and crude hand gestures. "WHY-DON'T-YOU-STUFF-THESE-IN- ** _YOUR_** -MUFFLER?" The golem replied monotonously, raising two enormous power fists into the air. "AND-BY- ** _MUFFLER_** -I-MEAN-YOUR-EXCRETORY-APPARATUS. BETTER- KNOWN-IN-LAYMANS-TERMS-AS- ** _YOUR-ASS_**."

"Why you little-" BEEEEEEEP!

The Auto-Golem flexed its arms up and down mockingly at the driver."I-HOPE-YOU-CAN-SEE-THIS-CAUSE-I'M-DOING-IT-AS-HARD-AS-I-CAN. HA. HA. HA. HA."

Krystal couldn't help but giggle at the exchange. It was almost enough to cheer her up, watching the automotive golem's antics. If Krystal didn't know better she could have sworn the Golem was sentient. That was impossible however. Well to be more precise it was downright illegal. Still she couldn't help but smile at the audacious machine. At least he seemed to be enjoying himself. As entertaining as it was, though it didn't change the fact she would be penalized if she were late. The next bus needed to get here yesterday. Krystal had already missed the last one, chasing after it while the machine disappeared down the street corner and into the less frequently trafficked tunnels built specifically for the Academy's bus routing system. "Please show up. Please show up. Please show up." She prayed fervently.

The gods heard her prayer. Across the street from Krystal, on the other side of the traffic lanes, a bus rolled to a stop next to a bunch of junior-high students about her age. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Krystal gripped her twin-tails in frustration. She couldn't believe this! She had been sitting here, fidgeting for over half-an hour. Those students only got there moments ago, and _their_ bus shows up first?

"No fair!" Krystal chewed her lip indecisively for a few moments before making up her mind. She was so going to regret this. "Oooh! Wait for me!" With that she took off between the rows of cars cluttered together. Krystal could barely squeeze in between the bumpers despite her petite figure. Her bloated book-bag, suitcase, and lunchbox weren't helping much either. She took to the roofs, trunks, and hoods instead, leaping across the fray. Her heart climbed into her throat as she was serenaded by a symphony of furious horns and coarse language.

"Dumb kid!" BEEEEPPP!  
"What the hell!" HONK!

"Get out of the damn street!" BEBE-BEEEP!

"I hope your parents can pay for my paint job!"

"GO-GET-EM-GIRL. HA. HA. HA."

"I'M SORRY!" Krystal pleaded sincerely over the cacophony. "I'm _really_ sorry!" Her face flushed scarlet. Krystal was embarrassed beyond all measure, and couldn't believe what she was doing _. I've gone insane_! But another small grudging part of her mind was really enjoying herself. This had to be illegal. Maybe she was going through that rebellious phase parents always complained about? It didn't matter now. She was way too committed. Going back was out of the question, and she was so close to her goal. Krystal would have rather ran on the asphalt, but there was no time. The last few students were making their way onto the bus. Some of them noticed her wild flight across Union City traffic, pointing at her excitedly through the windows. Before she knew it the rest of the students had opened their windows as well. Hanging out as far as they could, they waved frantically in her direction and tried to shout at her above the noise of the city. She couldn't tell what they were saying, but her pessimism was settling back in and she could only imagine that they were cracking jokes at her expense. _My school-life is ruined. I'll forever be known as 'that jay-walker girl'!_ Her confidence waned, and it almost sent her teetering to the ground just as she made another daring leap of faith. Krystals arms flailed wildly. She nearly lost her balance landing on the sunroof belonging to the owner the automotive golem had flipped off earlier. _Shut up brain! Just a few more lanes and it'll all be over!_

Something _shifted_ , but before she knew what was happening Krystal fell backwards landing heavily through the sunroof, and onto the lap of a very shocked and very enraged driver. The sunroof had shattered from the force of the fall and the combined weight of her luggage. _Oh my god! I'm_ _such a fatty!?_ She remembered how stuffed her bookbag, suitcase, and lunch box were. Her dad never shirked on giving her a hearty meal, and the textbooks were nothing to scoff at either. Krystal supposed she should be impressed her back hadn't given out in her mad dash, but the adrenaline rush had been sufficient to keep her going. Not so with her new precarious position. She was angled in such a way that the weight of her luggage kept her from sitting up, no matter how much she struggled. At first all she could think about was how she was going to miss her bus-

Then she made eye-contact with the driver. _Uh-oh…_

The man was not cussing or swearing anymore. He was completely silent, just staring at her. He seemed to be on the edge of losing it completely, and the worst part was Krystal couldn't move at all. Krystal didn't know if there was a stereotypical face that could be ascribed to abusive-drunk fathers, but this guy had it. He looked mean. _Very_ mean. Krystal's heart was hammering in her chest for a very different reason now. What she'd been doing was frightening but also very exhilarating. Now she was just scared. She wanted to say something. Anything! Deep down though, she knew all that could be uttered was a pitiful sob. The weight of her transgression was starting to sink in. The feeling worsened the longer she stared at the gaping hole above them.

"So". The man's voice cut through the silence like a knife. His gaze smoldered like burnt cigarettes. The car reeked of them too. "Are you sorry?" He asked coldly. He almost sounded genuinely curious. Krystal wondered if the man did have kids, and whether he passed the time sitting in traffic pondering when to beat them and for how long. "Well?" He asked again, impatience tingeing his voice.

Krystal could only nod, terrified and ashamed as she was.

"You are huh?" The man reached over the dashboard, the sudden motion causing her to flinch instinctively. He chuckled unpleasantly at her response while grabbing onto the pack of lights he'd been reaching for. He used his mouth to pull one of the paper rolls out of its cardboard container. They were Nashor's Cigs, probably the cheapest brand you could get at a convenience store.

"Light it." He demanded.

"Wha-?"

"Light it!" He roared.

Krystal was shell-shocked. She didn't have a lighter on her. She wasn't a smoker, nor did she plan on being one. _How is lighting his cigarette supposed to make this all better?_ Images flashed through Krystal's mind of men in interrogation rooms pressing burning cigars to bare flesh. A time honored torture tactic, generally favored by Militant Noxians when they were still around. The thought was enough to get her adrenaline pumping again. She heaved as hard as she could, finally dislodging her backpack from the narrow space. Free from the constraint, Krystal crawled backwards as far away from the man as she could before bumping into the passenger door behind her.

The man was still staring at her. Through the driver side window she could see the buses engine rev up once more. It would take off soon, and then she would have to go home and explain to her father why she was late for her first day at Union Academy. She couldn't imagine how disappointed he would be. Krystal was about to make a break for it, but she hesitated. Her eyes surveyed her handiwork on the sunroof. It was bad. Car repairs were not cheap. Guilt wormed its way into her conscience. _I really screwed up._ She sighed. Her father would be furious with her if he ever found out she had vandalized someone's property and not taken responsibility for it. More importantly she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. Whatever happened she had to make things right, even if it cost her.

"Don't even think about running kid-huh?" the man was about to spill into a tirade but the girls change in posture silenced him. She rested on her knees, hands pressed on her thighs, and head bowed; telegraphing her shame. It was a remarkable show of repentance. Her small hands shook slightly as she took in a deep breath to steady her voice.

"I am terribly sorry sir. No amount of apologies can make up for what I've done. What I did was wrong, and stupid, and childish, and irresponsible. I don't expect your forgiveness, and I wouldn't dream of you letting me off without compensation for the damages to your property."

Before the man could reply Krystal was already fumbling within the confines of her back-pack. She hunted swiftly for a pen and paper. Once she procured what she was looking for she placed the paper against the dashboard of the vehicle so she could write without accidentally punching a hole through the parchment. After scribbling some information on the note she handed it over to the man.

"Here." Krystal said demurely.

"What is this? He sneered. "A _written_ apology?"

Krystal shook her head, causing her twin-tails to sway back and forth. "No sir. That's the information for my family business. I'm employed part-time at a pawn shop you see. It's not much, but I will be able to make payments to the damages on your vehicle. I already have quite a bit of money saved up actually, but if that still isn't enough to cover your expenses I can have my father use my earnings to subsidize the remainder." Krystal had been saving up to buy her own vehicle. She almost had enough to buy it too, and if her paycheck had come in sooner she might have already had the vehicle and the insurance to deal with this mess. It was unfortunate, but she would probably have to start all over again. _It doesn't matter. I just have to bite the bullet. It's the right thing to d-._

"You're full of shit!" The man yelled smacking her hand aside; flinging the crumpled piece of paper away.

Krystal drew her stinging hand into her chest. It was throbbing and she wondered if it had been sprained. Hey eyes widened in shock. What had she done wrong? Krystal was completely caught off guard by the man's vehemence.

"But s-sir" she stammered desperately. "It's true. If you just call my father he'll tell yo-"

"Shut the hell up!" You expect me to believe a dumb hoodlum like you has a job and can pay for this!" He cried, while pointing an accusing finger towards the open sky above them. His hand shot forward. He violently tugged on one of her twin tails, pulling her head closer to his face. She could smell his noxious breath laced with nicotine and poor hygiene. "So you got a family business huh? I'm gonna sue you for all your worth then. And after I run your business into the ground, maybe I'll use the money to buy a new car. What do you think about that you damn brat?!"

Krystal couldn't believe what was happening. Her wrist stung from where the man had assaulted her, and her eyes were watering from the man's painful grip on her hair. It felt like he was going to rip the delicate strands out by the roots. Underneath Krystal's pain, fear, guilt and panic, something else bubbled beneath the surface, something violent.

"You…you jackass!" Krystal swung her hefty lunch box with all her might straight into the man's ugly mug. It was one thing if somebody threatened to hurt her, but nobody threatened her family and their livelihood! Krystal was shaking so much she couldn't tell if it was from fear or anger anymore. She swung again.

"I was just"

Smack.

"Trying-

Smack.

-to be responsible"

Smack.

–but you just"

Smack.

–had to be"

The lunch box slammed down one final time on the man's forehead.

-a total creep!"

The man was out cold. Krystal breathed heavily over the man's still form. She waited a few heart stopping seconds. He still wasn't moving. The sinking feeling returned once more. "Oh, oh god. S-sir. Are you oka-AAAAAAHHH!" Krystal yelped. Blood stains dripped from the dents in her lunch box. Tributaries of red slivered down the man's scalp and stained the seats of the vehicle. Hysteria began to settle in. "Heh-heh that's it for me then. It's all over. Heh. I've gone from traffic violator, to vandalism, to second degree murder all in the span of a single morning." Krystal looked despondently out the driver side window. She briefly glimpsed the tail end of her bus disappearing behind a semi before making its descent into the tunnel system below. The vacant bus stop looked almost as empty as she was feeling right now.

"EXCUSE-ME-YOUNG-LADY?"

"Huh w-who's there?" She was in a daze. Krystal didn't want to look up. Knowing her luck it was probably a K-9 Riot Bot, here just in the nick of time to witness her heinous actions.

"ARE-YOU-IN-NEED-OF-ASSISTANCE?"

Curiosity won over Krystal's despair. Her eyes locked with the riveted metal features of the automotive steam golem. It gazed down at her through the gap in the sunroof. Somehow it seemed to be giving off an aura of genuine concern.

Krystals lip quivered. She couldn't think of anything to say. All she could manage was a heartfelt and tearful plea summoned from the very bottom of her soul. "YES! PLEAAAAAAASE!" She cried out, leaping up to wrap her arms around the befuddled machines polygonal head. Krystal buried her face against the Golems chassis, sobbing heavily into the rough steel. She was too upset to care whether the thing she was gripping onto for assurance wasn't made of flesh and blood.

The steam golem jerked awkwardly. Blitzcrank and the girl had become quite the spectacle. Pedestrians and commuters alike stared at the pair, stopping whatever they had been doing to murmur and speculate amongst them-selves what was happening.

Blitzcranks emotional processors were burning at the speed of light. Human emotions never ceased to confound him. His judgment parameters counseled him that, whatever the cause, the current situation demanded that the adolescent female needed comfort of some kind. With utmost care, Blitzcrank lifted one of his Powerfists (strong enough to crush steel and catapult objects weighing over a thousand kilograms) and brought it down slowly over the girl's fragile skull. Blitzcrank proceeded to carefully pat Krystal's hair a few times, before uttering carefully chosen condolences from his wide range of uplifting vocabulary software.

"UM-THERE-THERE…"

* * *

 ****AUTHORS NOTE**

 **Blitzcrank is one of my favorite characters from a thematic sense. I'm looking forward to having more fun writing with him included in the story. So how do you guys like Krystal so far? I kinda like the way her character is turning out even if its only been one chapter. Im gonna try to get to the good parts as fast as I can. I just need to do a little more world building in between chapters, and then we can get to the juicy stuff. As always follow, favorite, or leave a review if you enjoyed yourself. And if you didn't well...leave a review about that too.**


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